Running from You
by Team-megan
Summary: Katara runs away before the Invasion, hoping to solve a problem. Will her choice be the right one? Or will it break her friends forever?


She had never done anything as hard as this.

The cloak wrapped around her shoulders fluttered in the wind as she tightened her grip on the satchel slung across her shoulders. Everyone would be fine. It would be better if she did this.

She glanced back over her shoulders at the campsite where her friends lay asleep in their sleeping bags.

Momo had woken up earlier, but a pat on the head and a quiet 'shh' put the lemur back to sleep.

She had stroked Appa's forehead one last time, whispering goodbyes and a quick 'take-care-of-them-for-me'.

But now, the waterbending master stood, for that's who this cloaked figure was, on top of the hill looking down at her brother, and her earthbending friend…

And Aang.

He'd told her a week ago that he hadn't mastered the Avatar State, because of her…

So she'd brooded, and came up with a solution.

She'd leave.

He'd have to let her go. For the sake of the world. If she were… 'dead' he would have to let her go.

Katara knew it sounded stupid. And it was going to hurt more than anything, but it was necessary.

At least that's what her 14-year-old mind told her.

So she vanished into the night, leaving her family behind.

The next morning was chaos.

When the three awoke to find their friend missing, they split in search of her.

Aang was nearly in tears when they met back at the campsite that evening.

Sokka worried.

And Toph, for once, was the one to talk some sense back into the two boys.

"M-maybe she was taken," she suggested.

Sokka only shook his head, "They would've taken Aang first; he's the Avatar."

Aang glared at him, not pleased with where this was going. Toph grabbed her bag from beside her little earth tent and stalked off.

"Toph, all three of us would have to look. The Invasion is in six days. We can't waste our time," Sokka reasoned, "We have to be at the rendezvous point by then." The water tribe boy ground his teeth, "With or without Katara."

Aang finally stood up and glared at the two of them, "I'm going. I'll meet you for the Invasion. We need Katara…I need Katara."

The young Avatar took off before anything could be said to stop him.

Sokka sighed and dropped to the ground, sword in hand.

"Why would she just leave? It doesn't make sense," he was addressing Toph, hoping the blind girl would have some answers. But the twelve-year old just joined him on the ground.

"Katara would never leave us without reason. So there's gotta be something going on. Maybe she went to find the Invasion force," Toph offered. Sokka shook his head, agreeing.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. But we at least need to look for her, but we can't let down the invasion force, so we need to be here in 6 days," he stood, offering Toph a hand, which she took.

They climbed on Appa, leaving his armor and most of their supplies hidden on the island.

Katara stood in her little ice boat, bending the water to propel her forward, like she'd seen the swampbenders do. She'd been at it for hours. Her arms were tired and dark circles appeared under her eyes. But she kept going. She had remembered there was a little island in this direction. They'd passed it on their way to the rendezvous point.

She sighed and took a break. Was she making the right decision? Her friends needed her, but she'd just felt so strongly about this. Besides, she was already this far.

She sat in the bottom of her boat. The ice was melting slowly under the Fire nation sun. If she didn't keep it frozen or reach land soon, she'd be swimming the rest of the way.

Groaning, she stood and focused. Pushing herself forward again.

Aang's arms were on fire as he bent the water around him. He was definitely going to die of heat stroke if he kept this up any longer. He'd been working for hours, searching for his friend.

All he saw was ocean. The flat, blue calm stretched on for miles in every direction. His arms couldn't take much more. He stopped and rested on his frozen platform on the water. His knees gave out as he fell onto the makeshift land.

He laid on his back, his eyes glazed over with tears as he stared up at the sky. Lazy clouds drifted over him. Everything around him reminded him of her. The smell of the water, the breeze that drifted over him. Everything was blue, like her eyes and her clothes. It was too much.

Why had she left him? He needed her. She couldn't just take off and run away from the group. It wasn't fair! She knew they needed her for the Invasion…so why?

He curled himself up into a ball, the sound of the waves lapping against his little platform the only noise besides his breath. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing it all away. Hoping this way all just a bad dream.

But the salty air told him otherwise and the ache in his heart from being abandoned by the girl he loved reminded him cruelly. The tears he'd been fighting finally came. He sobbed in reckless abandon. It was too much.

She had left him, probably so he could let her go. Maybe just out of fear. He didn't know. He just knew he was alone. She had left her own brother behind. He'd understand more if the two water tribe siblings had left together, then they would have at least been looking for their father. But she had gone alone. He didn't know what she was doing or thinking.

He sat up and scolded himself for breaking down. Katara wouldn't want him to give up, to just lay there and cry over her. He didn't care that she may not want him finding her, but he needed her.

He stood once again and started bending his way toward land.

It was past noon when Katara spotted land. She bent her boat faster, pushing it towards her destination. The shore came into view, a thick jungle covering what looked like the island they'd passed. As she scanned the shore, she figured no one would see her if she bent her way to the beach. When her feet touched the sand, she collapsed from exhaustion.

Her mind told her she should move, but her body gave out. And she succumbed to sleep.

She awoke to a gentle voice.

"Young lady? Miss, if you can hear me, say something." A cold pressure on her forehead brought her back.

She cracked her eyes open to see only blurry red shapes. The light from the sun was darker; she figured it was almost night.

She sat up with a groan and her eyes adjusted. A woman who looked to be in her twenties knelt beside her, a cloth in hand, obviously part of her clothing ripped off to help Katara. She was dressed in Fire Nation clothing, her midriff bare. She wore an outfit similar to Katara's, but with a shorter skirt and different color scheme. Her hair was jet black and her eyes were gold, like Prince Zuko's. She had a heart-shaped face, and a small nose.

Katara groaned again, her head and throat burning. The woman helped her up, slinging her arm around her shoulders. "Where am I?" Katara croaked, her voice hoarse from disuse. The woman looked over at her, "You're on Tian Fei Island. Our village is just this way," she huffed as she shifted her weight and started walking, "How did you get here without a boat?"

Katara panicked. "Uh- it uh broke on the reef…" she lied, hoping to sound convincing. The woman shook her head, you poor thing. They reached the outskirts of the village. Katara was glad she'd worn her fire nation disguise. Her cape was soaked still from the water.

A young man ran up to the two. He was wearing pants much like Aang's school uniforms, dark grey and only to the knees. He was barefoot and wore only a vest thrown open to reveal his chest, which bore a grisly scar across it, Katara noted. His hair was shaggy and a lighter brown than Katara's.

When he reached the two women, Katara could see the faint line left by another scar tracing its way down his left cheek under his eye to the side of his mouth. He was well-built, his muscles defined in the remaining sunlight. His eyes were also gold, and were filled with worry at the moment.

"Ling, what happened? Who is this?" the young man asked, taking Katara and carrying her in his arms. Katara blushed as she was swept up, the young man was handsome, and she didn't really need to be carried. The woman, Ling, touched the man's arm affectionately and Katara picked up that they were a couple by the look in their eyes.

"Sango, I found her on the beach-" Ling started. Katara interrupted.

"I was running away from home and my boat broke on the reef."She explained hastily.

The man, obviously named Sango, looked down at her, surprised she had spoken.

Ling smiled and continued, "Well, you're safe here- uh, what did you say your name was?"

Katara panicked again.

"I didn't. It's, uh- um… it's Sapphire," she lied, hoping her fake name sounded Fire Nation enough.

The two looked at her, "Well, Sapphire. I can see why your parents named you that," Sango said, referring to her eyes. Katara blushed again, hoping she wasn't giving herself away.

They reached a small beach style house, decorated in maroon and gold. Torches lined the path to it. Ling opened the bamboo door for Sango and he stepped inside, careful to keep Katara's head from hitting the doorframe. He laid her on a small red couch as Ling took her cloak, and followed Ling into what she guessed was the kitchen. Katara tried sitting up, but her head started spinning and she fell back, frustrated.

She heard the two talking in the other room as she took in her surroundings. The house was quaint. A small bookshelf full of books stood across from her by the wall. Small flower pots filled with exotic flowers stood on the table in front of her. Elaborate landscape paintings hung on the walls.

Katara heard the couple whispering now. The words 'fugitive' and 'runaway' passed between the two.

She could hear Ling say, "Just give her time, maybe her family life was terrible." Katara sighed, she was going to have to lie again to these nice people. But she couldn't just tell them she was water tribe and she was running from the Avatar, who was supposed to be dead.

The door to the kitchen opened and Ling stepped out first, carrying a tray with tea and some herbs. Sango followed. Ling sat the tray down on the table, moving some vases out of the way. Sango sat across from them on a small bamboo stool. Ling helped Katara sit up, when she proved she was too dizzy to do so herself.

"So the reef out there almost got you," Sango said grimly. Katara nodded as Ling poured her some tea and crushed some more herbs into the pot. "You're very lucky, most people who try to get to the island from that direction crash and drown from the reef and the tide." Katara swallowed her tea loudly, making the couple look at her funny.

"I guess the Spirits were looking out for me," she said, sipping her tea. Ling looked her over for any bruises or injuries.

"Yes, they were," she agreed. "Do you need someplace to stay here on the island, or are you meeting someone here?" She asked politely.

Katara sighed, "I wasn't meeting anyone here…" She could picture Aang's face at the moment, he was probably worried sick. It made Katara's insides churn. She was hurting him and Sokka and Toph.

Ling placed a hand over hers, "You can stay here for as long as you need," she offered, to which Sango nodded and smiled, agreeing. Katara smiled, "Thank you." Ling smiled, squeezing her hand gently before standing up and going off into the next room.

Sango regarded Katara curiously, "So you said your name was Sapphire, and I'm guessing you're Fire Nation?" he asked. Katara swallowed, "Yeah, I'm from the Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom," she lied again, her eyes settling on staring into her cup. Sango smiled, "I've never seen any colonists with blue eyes like yours, only people from the Water tribe have that color of eyes." Katara almost choked on her tea.

Sango handed her a cloth as she regained her composure. She wiped her mouth, forming a lie for him.

"My dad was from the Water Tribe," she said, knowing that part was true, "but my mom was Fire Nation." Sango nodded, understanding.

"Makes sense," he said. Katara finished her tea and Sango grinned, "Would you like a tea leaf reading? My grandfather taught me how to interpret what the tea has to say," he raised an eyebrow mischievously, reminding Katara of Aang. She smiled sadly, "Yes, please."

She handed Sango her cup and he looked at the leaves settled in the bottom. His face contorted in thought.

"Confusion, heartache, and love." He stated, setting her cup down on the table. Katara's breath hitched at the last one. This man could see right through her. Tea leaf reading was a form of art, but it took the knowledge of reading someone's eyes and emotions also.

Katara sighed heavily and looked away.

"That's why you ran away," Sango stated, "You love someone and there's something going on." Katara nodded, "Yeah….that's why I ran away."

Sango reached over and placed a hand over hers, making her look up at him. He was smiling gently.

"It's ok to be confused, you're safe here and Ling and I will help you if you need it." He squeezed her hand before letting go and sitting back with his arms crossed over his head.

Aang spotted an island off in the distance. It looked mostly like jungle from the air. He sighed, hoping he'd find Katara there, or at least someone who knew where she was. The sun was almost set, so he needed to reach it quickly. He sighed and sped up his approach. He'd have to use the cover of night to land using his waterbending. Then he'd look for Katara.

Sokka and Toph had to land Appa back on the rendezvous island. A day of searching and nothing to show for it. Sokka knew his sister couldn't get far with only waterbending as her transportation, especially since they were miles from any civilization.

Toph had been quiet the whole ride. She couldn't see from the air anyway.

She made her earth tent and went in, her feet hanging out the end. Sokka spread his sleeping bag. They would just have to wait for Aang to get back. He laid down, staring up at the night sky.

It just didn't make sense. Katara had told him she'd never leave people who need her. But here they were, she had left them, willingly it seemed. He was her brother. Her brother for spirits sake! Why hadn't she told him she was leaving? She had just taken off at night, no goodbye or even a "Hey, I'm going to go do this…"

Sokka sighed and curled up into his sleeping bag. They'd just have to keep looking.

Ling walked out into the living room and walked up to Katara, ready to help her stand if need be. Katara smiled and stood, but wobbled from exhaustion. She felt like a mess. Ling took her arm, steadying her and leading her to an extra room.

"The bathroom's just beside this room if you need to clean up," Ling said, indicating the door to her left. Katara thanked her. Ling left her alone and went back to where Sango was sitting in the living room.

Katara decided a bath couldn't hurt, so she closed the door and found two tubs, one for the bath and a small one for the sink. A small stove sat to her right, heating a pot of water. She rid herself of her sea salt-stained clothes and placed them in the small tub bending water from the pot on the stove to the tub. She bent the rest into the bath tub and sunk into it up to her neck.

She was still a little dizzy, but the warm water soothed her head and muscle aches.

She bathed and washed her clothes, careful to bend the water out of the two tubs. She spotted the well outside of the window in the bathroom and glanced around for anyone watching. Carefully and quietly she refilled the pot on the stove with the well water and cleaned up her mess.

The bed in the extra room was small, but it was still a bed. She hadn't slept in a bed since Ba Sing Se.

She curled up in a ball under the covers, the cooler night air drifting in through the open window.

It didn't take long for her exhausted mind and to fall asleep.

She awoke to the sun slowly streaming in through the white curtains. It was dawn and she sighed, lying in the bed for a little longer. She could hear Ling walking around getting ready for the day. Katara decided she should get up and help with breakfast.

She stretched and got dressed. As she walked out, she found Ling standing in her underwear by the stove, heating some food and tea. Katara looked away. She was in a strange house with new people, so she felt like she was intruding. She cleared her throat and Ling turned around.

"Oh, good morning Sapphire," Her hair was in a ponytail and Katara realized she was wearing her bathing suit. She smiled and returned the good morning. Ling set the food she was cooking on the small table in the kitchen. "Sango and I are going to the beach today, if you want to join us."

Katara sat at the table and nodded, "Sure." Ling smiled. Sango walked in, rubbing his shoulder.

He was in his swim trunks, and Katara looked away blushing, at noticing the significant bulge in a certain area. Ling noticed and smiled.

"Don't be embarrassed, my husband walks around like that a lot." She addressed Sango, "Honey, you should wear your other trunks today, Sapphire is joining us." Sango chuckled, "Fine, I get it; you don't want to see my junk."

Ling smacked him across the shoulder, "Sango!" The smile dropped from his face and he grumbled, standing up and rubbing his arm, "Ok, ok, I'll go change. Sorry." He sighed and pushed through the door.

Ling smiled and sat down next to Katara. "Sorry about that, Sango likes being awkward like that sometimes." Katara nodded, "It's ok, I'm used to it. I have a brother."

Ling looked at her curiously, "You do?" Katara realized what she'd said.

"Uh, yeah, he's back with my parents. I didn't tell him I was running away," she sipped her tea and looked around the room nervously. Ling chuckled.

"I'm not going to turn you in to the Fire Lord for running away from home. Like we said, you're safe here." Katara laughed nervously, "Yeah…"

Sango came in with a loser pair of swimming trunks in that reached his knees. He sat and grabbed a biscuit, smothering some sort of jelly on it. Ling shook her head disapprovingly as he scarfed it down. Katara chuckled, a hand over her mouth as he chugged some juice and stood up.

"Come on Ladies, let's get to the beach before the villagers take up all the space." He headed out the door before either of them could do anything about it. Katara looked at Ling who motioned for her to get ready while she cleaned up.

Katara felt so exposed. She was usually fine with wearing her underclothes to swim in, but again, she was with new people and the happy couple made her self-conscious.

The beach was deserted when they reached it. Ling was carrying a small picnic basket in her arms, Sango had an umbrella and Katara carried their towels. They'd insisted that they could carry everything, but Katara felt like she was taking advantage of them if she didn't help out.

"There's no one here," Katara noted. Ling rolled her eyes, "Sango was joking, this part of the beach is remote. The villagers use the other side of the Island. So we get this pretty much all to ourselves."

Katara smiled as Sango rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at Ling behind her back. He set up the umbrella as the sun rose completely. Ling set down her basket and ran towards the water.

"Last one in is a Hog-monkey's uncle!" She took off down the beach. Sango took off after her. Katara just stood there, towels in hand, dumbstruck. These two adults were just like kids. She shook her head and laughed, tossing the towels under the umbrella and taking off after them.

The couple splashed water at each other. Sango spotted Katara and sent a splash her way. She laughed and splashed him back, careful not to waterbend. They laughed and played like they little kids. The splash fight went on for a while until a particularly large wave hit Katara. Instinctively, she bent the water around her so it parted in two. She realized when the water receded what she had just revealed to the couple.

She looked at them, scared for her life. They looked surprised. Ling stood knee-deep in water, her mouth open. Sango had stopped mid-splash.

"Y-you're a waterbender," Sango said, his voice awestruck. Katara backed away, ready to defend herself.

Sango stood up and walked out of the ocean. Ling followed and sat on one of the towels. Katara stood, letting the waves hit her legs.

Katara looked at them guiltily, but found only smiles on their faces. Confused she stuttered, "What? You're not going to attack me? Or turn me in?" Sango shook his head. "We're not like the military. Ling and I don't agree with Ozai, so we moved out here to Tian Fei Island. You said your father was water tribe, so it's ok that you're a waterbender." Katara felt sick, she was still lying to them. She walked out of the ocean and joined them under the umbrella.

"If I tell you both something, will you promise that it won't leave the three of us?"

Sango and Ling nodded, "We swear your secret's safe with us. I mean, it's not like you're the Avatar or anything. Right?" Katara looked back at the water sadly, "No, I'm not the Avatar, but I'm not Fire Nation either."

Sango wrapped his arms around his legs, "So you're full Water tribe then, aren't you?" Katara nodded.

Ling tilted her head, "Why are you here then?"

Katara curled her arms around her knees and rested her chin on her arms, "I was helping the Avatar."

The couple fell silent. Sango looked at her in awe, understanding written all over his face.

"You're that girl, you're not Sapphire, you're…oh, what's-" he searched for the name. So Katara helped him.

"Katara," she looked up at him, "Katara of the Water Tribe." Sango's face lit up and Ling smiled.

"You saved the Avatar's life…" the older woman whispered in awe. Katara looked up at them, confused.

"How did you know that?" She asked. Sango shrugged, "We've helped some refugees and prisoners. A few Water Tribe Warriors told us they'd seen you and the Avatar and your friends. Being members of the Green Lotus, we were trusted not to tell a soul."

Katara asked, "Green Lotus?" Sango nodded, "A special group formed like the White Lotus Society. Master Piandao set it up and told certain citizens about the rebellion." It all clicked for Katara, Master Piandao hadn't been prejudiced like the rest of the Fire Nation. That's why he trained Sokka. So these people were just like him, but not masters.

Ling regarded her with a reserved look on her face, "So why did you leave your friends and the Avatar behind?" notice

Katara stood up and turned away from them, "It's complicated."


End file.
